Social Sciences and landscape analysis: opportunities for the improvement of conservation policy design

This article develops a methodology aimed at generating a systematic social diagnosis of social and natural landscapes. The analytical process is divided into six easily replicable and causatively connected steps. The goal is two-fold: first, to present the inextricable connections between physical landscapes and the communities that occupy them. And second, to provide a fundamental tool to public policy designers that should simultaneously improve social acceptability of conservation policies and policy efficiency and effectiveness. Finally, this methodology is consciously heterogeneous from a theoretical perspective. This article puts together, in fruitful dialogue, contributions from varying places on the social theory spectrum: from political economy to poststructural theory.     

Impacts on industry of Europe's emerging chemicals policy REACh

For Europe, a new regime in chemicals regulation is about to start. After the proposal of the European Commission concerning the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACh) passed its readings in the European Parliament and some differences with the European Council of Ministers were resolved, the regulation will come into force in June 2007. This paper is focused on the question how serious the cost burdens for industry induced by REACh will be, and whether the New European Member States (NMS) which joined the European Union in May 2004 will be able to cope with the regulation. This evaluation has been done by assessing the legislative, administrative and economic framework in New Member States and by analysing real business cases in companies. The empirical showcase business impact studies are at the same time of interest for companies of EU-15 states, other European countries who may implement the regulation, and even for exporters of raw materials and chemicals outside Europe, who will also have to comply with REACh if they market in the European Community. The results give no indications that REACh adoption will bring significant drawbacks to companies in the NMS. The emerging regulation will bring challenges for individual companies, especially for small and medium-sized ones, but for the European chemical industry as a whole, there is no question that it will be able to cope with REACh burdens without losing its global competitiveness.     

An assessment of Scottish development planning

The present development plan system in Scotland began in 1975. Its origins and purpose are discussed. Progress in the submission and adoption/approval of local and structure plans and in reviewing these plans is outlined. Performance to date is assessed and means of improvement are suggested, in relation to timeliness, transparency, scope and quality.     

Flood policy reversal in australia

In 1977 the Government of New South Wales introduced a flood prone lands policy which attempted to break with the past emphasis on structural works. Cornerstones of the policy were the preparation of floodplain maps, and use of the 1:100 (100 year or 1%) flood to delineate floodplains and 1:20 flood for floodway definition. The fiscal and regulatory elements of the policy were to be applied more or less uniformly within the two zones. At first there was little effective opposition to the program, but this changed when large areas of Sydney, which had not been inundated since development, were mapped. Local government concern over issues of legal liability led to decisions which in turn prompted opposition to the policy from residents' action groups and property development interests. A perceived drop in property values provided the main motivation for action by residents. This pressure for change, which intensified just before the 1984 state election, saw the policy overturned.
The new policy gives local government greater responsibility for floodplain management. State authorities have withdrawn from floodplain mapping, although technical advice will continue to be provided, and there are no longer any uniform floodplain or floodway definitions. Policy implementation is to be guided by a Manual which attempts to define flood hazard in terms of both physical and social criteria.     

Sustainability in context: An Australian perspective

This article examines the concept of sustainability (sustainable development, sustainable societies) with a view to providing a means of considering the idea in such a way as to be more useful to concerns of policy. A brief background is given, covering the historical development of the concept, the constituent ecological and social concerns that lie behind it, and some aspects of the sustainability debate in Australia. Some attributes of a sustainable future, as evident from the literature, are listed. The value base of the concept is recognized, and the correct place for sustainability concerns is identified within a simple policy-making model. The complexity of such a model in the real world is explored using a list of thecontexts of sustainability, illustrated with examples from Australian natural resource management. Finally, the more dynamic and flexible nature of patterns of production and consumption in more sustainable societies is recognized and explained, as are two guiding directives to be applied in the search for models which display characteristics of sustainability.     

环保产业 亟待整顿

环保产业存在政策不完善、结构不合理、市场混乱、技术含量不高、企业规模效益低下等诸多问题。环保产业健康发展应结合市场经济体制改革,制定和完善产业政策,合理布局产业结构,培育和调控环保产业市场,提高环保产业技术水平和企业规模经济效益,以利于健康、协调、持续和稳定发展。     

On integration of policies for climate and global change

Currently envisaged mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions will be insufficient to appreciably limit climate change and its impacts. Adaptation holds the promise of ameliorating the impacts on a small subset of systems being affected. There is no question that both will be needed. However, climate change is only part of a broader multi-stress setting of global through to local changes. Privileging climate related policies over other concerns leads to tragic outcomes. Climate policies need to be designed for and integrated into this broader and challenging context. This paper focuses on placing climate change within the broader context of global change and the importance of aligning climate policy objectives with the myriad other policies that still need to be implemented if our primary goal is improving human welfare rather than limiting our focus to climate change and its impacts.     

英国“洁净技术”政策及其启示

指明了“洁净技术”的合理含义 ,阐述了英国“洁净技术”的内容和政府主要部的研究项目 ,介绍了近年来英国新的重点研究领域与政府支持“洁净技术”的政策措施 ,讨论了英国“洁净技术”政策的意义 ,及其对我国“洁净技术”开发和应用的启示     

21世纪环境决策必须应对城市化的挑战

1　全球城市化发展趋势随着人类文明的进步、社会生产技术和组织形式的发展以及居住方式的变化 ,城市作为人类居住的载体 ,不断处于变化之中。在发展变化过程中 ,古老的农村文化逐步让位于新兴的城市文明 ,传统的男耕女织农业生产逐步被现代的机械化工业生产取代 ,小桥流水人家的村庄逐步为车水马龙的城市淹没。 2 0 0 0年是极不寻常的一年 ,对人类发展的历史来说标志着新世纪和新千年的开始 ,对世界城市化过程来说标志着世界开始进入城市化的时代 ,一半以上人居住在城市 ,城市人口达到 30亿。在这样的背景条件下 ,世界城市化的趋势将会出现…     

绿色贸易壁垒与中国出口贸易

介绍绿色贸易壁垒的主要内容，分析绿色贸易壁垒对中国出口贸易的影响，并提出了一系列的对应策略与措施。